Welcome to Gravesend Grammar School for Girls

Our school’s reputation has evolved over nearly ninety years. It is based upon sustained high levels of achievement and excellence within and outside the classroom. We are a dynamic school, responding to the demands of the modern world.
We aim to stimulate and challenge the minds of our students in order for them to attain the highest academic achievement. Our interest in our girls is not confined to academic results. We ensure that our students acquire life-long skills, which prepare them for the challenges of the future. We also encourage each girl to develop her personal talents through a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities.
Our school is a happy and caring community which believes in traditional values. We aim to make our students feel a sense of belonging and to develop personal qualities of courtesy, integrity, hard work and concern for others. Each will feel equally supported to achieve her best and develop her talents, however diverse.

Mrs E. Wilson

Headteacher

We aim to:

To promote an educational culture that is scientific, technological,enterprising and vocational and which values all subjects equally.

To provide a broad and balanced curriculum which is sufficiently diverse to meet the needs of individual students and which enables each student to realise her full academic potential.

To stimulate our students' curiosity and imagination, to stretch and challenge their intellect, to encourage their independent thought and develop responsibility for their learning.

To encourage our students to develop confidence in their own abilities and to acquire the skills, aptitudes and competencies needed for a fulfilling life without regard to traditional stereotyping.

To promote our students' awareness of spiritual. cultural and moral values and to encourage a sense of trust, respect for and tolerance of others, in order to prepare them to live in our multi-cultural, multi-ethnic society.

To encourage our students to make a positive contribution to the life of the school and to the wider community.

To stimulate in our students a global awareness and to encourage them to take responsibility for their environment.

Admission to Year 7 in 2008
This school is a selective school and entry is by the Kent PESE Procedure. Any girl born between 1 September 1996 and 31 August 1997 can be considered for a place in Year 7 in September 2008 no matter where Parents/Guardians live or which school the girl presently attends. If the school is heavily over-subscribed places will be offered in accordance with the school's over-subscription criteria, a copy of which is contained in this pack. For entry at other ages please contact the school office initially, for further information. To apply for a place in this school you must complete the CommonApplication Form(CAF) for Kent Schools if you are a Kent resident or your own LEA’s CAF if you are not. The CAF should either be returned to your daughter’s primary school or submitted online at www.kent.gov.uk/ola
Key dates in the admissions procedure for entry to Gravesend Grammar School for Girls in September 2008 are:
Thursday 4 October 2007	Gravesend Grammar School for Girls’ Open Evening (Both sites open 6.00 – 8.30pm .) Gravesend Grammar School for Girls’ Open Day ( 9.30 to 11.00 am and 1.30 to 3.15pm ). Tours, including both sites, take approximately one hour
Tuesday 16 October 2007	Mrs Wilson, Headteacher – talks at 6.30 & 7.15 pm on the Main Site only. Seating is limited at the first talks and tours are provided from 6.30 pm as an alternative to the 6.30 pm talk.
Friday 19 October 2007	Closing date for applications. Common Application Forms must have been returned to the LEA via primary schools or submitted online.
Saturday 5 January 2008	PESE Practice Tests. For applicants whose primary schools are not testing.
Tuesday 8 January 2008	PESE Tests. Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning in Kent primary schools.
Wednesday 9 January 2008	PESE Tests. Mathematics and Writing in Kent primary schools.
Saturday 12 January 2008	PESE Tests. For applicants who live outside Kent . The venue will be in Gravesend , Dartford or Wilmington and determined by the LEA.
Monday 3 March 2008	Decisions posted to the Parents/Guardians of all applicants by Kent County Council.
Wednesday 12 March 2008	Gravesend Grammar School for Girls’ Open Morning ( 9.30 to 11am ). Tours including both sites take approximately one hour.
Tuesday 25 March 2008	Deadline for:- receipt of acceptances or rejections of offers, receipt of appeals against the selection decision,
From 27 March 2008	The school will hold a waiting list and consider applications in accordance with its oversubscription criteria.
If you wish to discuss any concerns you have with regards to admission please do not hesitate to contact the Admissions Secretary at the school. However, enquiries that relate specifically to the PESE procedure should be referred to the Secondary Admissions Team of Kent County Council.

Outdoor	Plain navy, plain black or dark grey coat or anorak (denim, leather, suede or velvet jackets or jackets with logos are not acceptable)
Indoor	Kilt in GGSG tartan, only available from Longfield Wools. The skirt length must be on, or just above, the knee. Navy sweater with school stripes and/or navy cardigan, v necked with school stripes. (Round-necked jumpers or pullovers are not acceptable). Light blue, short sleeved poly-cotton blouse with the school aster on the pocket. Compulsory for Years 7, 9 and 10 from Autumn term 2002. Navy socks (ankle length or up to the knee) or navy/black tights. Sturdy shoes in a dark colour (no boots, platform shoes, cling backed, slip-on or canvas shoes) with a heel of no more than 5cm. Navy blue Laboratory coat (Compulsory for Science in Years 7-9) A blue or white Laboratory coat is strongly recommended in Years 10 and 11. Full apron - available only from the school
For Summer wear only:	Navy trainer socks (optional). No flesh coloured tights to be worn.
P.E.	White training shoes Hockey or football boots (can be inexpensive canvas or leather but no metal studs) White polo shirt with collar PE sweatshirt - available from the PE Department, distributed in the Autumn Term, cost £15.00. Compulsory for Year 7 from September 2002 and subsequently. Navy PE shorts or navy cotton/lycra cycling shorts Navy PE skirt, half pleated Leotard or all-in-one, colour optional White sports socks
Optional	'National Back Pain Association' schoolbag or similar double strapped school bag e.g. 'Quadra' schoolbag QD59.  Recommended for Years 7 and 8 to reduce the risk of back strain.  Available from Longfield Wools. Official school or plain scarf in school colours Track suit or jogging suit (navy blue) PE Sweatshirt with school logo available only from school Navy trousers - "Classic" style Banner 3822 or Trutex JHT341 from Longfield Wools, for use as part of the winter uniform.
NO MAKE-UP, NAIL VARNISH OR JEWELLERY MAY BE WORN except a watch and a single pair of inconspicuous ear studs, one in each ear, which must be removed for PE lessons.  Body piercing, other than for ear studs, is not acceptable.  Hair should be a natural colour, without obvious streaks and therefore appropriate for school.  If braids are worn in the hair,, they should be plain. Please ensure that all your property is clearly named. School Outfitter: Longfield Wools, 6 St George's Centre, Gravesend, Tel: 01474 351190

We provide a broad, balanced curriculum, both traditional and forward thinking in content and delivery, which responds to modern educational challenges and prepares our students for GCSE and AS/A2 Level as befits a selective school. The curriculum promotes the social, moral, cultural, spiritual and physical development of our students and prepares them for the opportunities and responsibilities of adult life.

Key Stage 3

Years 7,8 and 9

We encourage students to take part in the extensive range of clubs which take place within the lunch hour and after school. These include Art Club, Debating Societies, the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, Junior Drama, Maths Club, a School Newspaper group, and Science Club. Charity fundraising events, whether whole school or form based, are an important and popular part of school life. These activities are in addition to a wide range of musical, dramatic and sporting activities, which have earned the school an enviable reputation for excellence, both locally and at County level. Students regularly take part in musical events and out of school. Termly concerts involve Junior and Senior Choirs, the Training Orchestra, the Recorder Group and the School Orchestra, in addition to assemblies, festivals and productions, Tuition in all orchestral instruments, piano, organ, singing and guitar is available from both Kent Music School and independent teachers.

All students have the opportunity to take part in a school production, either on or behind the stage. Recent productions have included "Grease" 2002 and "King and I" 2003. Each involved some 100 students including boys from Gravesend Grammar School. There are also trips to the theatre, both as part of the curriculum and outside the curriculum.

The Physical Education Department runs teams for all year groups and a full programme of matches and tournaments is played in a variety of sports throughout the year. Many individuals take part in activities out of school and some represent Kent and England at their chosen sport. Activities currently on offer include Athletics, Cricket, Football, Gymnastics, Hockey, Netball, Rounders, Tennis, Trampolining and Volleyball. We develop the leadership qualities of our students through the Junior Sports Leader Award and the Community Sports Leadership Award.